Handrails



Oct. 15, 1968 l.. BLUM ET AL.

HANDRAILS Original Filed June 26, 1964 AWM . anniv nfl/50%,

l A n. l. wwm m m IN ENT S Lows BLW( OR WILLIAM J. HORGAN, JR

Wxzn

United States Patent O 3,405,915 HANDRAILS Louis Blum and William J. Hor-gan, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., asiguors to Elumcrat of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa., a rm Original application June 26, 1964, Ser. No. 378,185. Divided and this application Aug. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 582,778

4 Claims. (Cl. 256-65) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A handrail consists of a two piece metal component with a non-metallic grip means in the form of two wooden members disposed respectively in overlying relation to the parts of the metal component. One of the parts in the metal component has a slot extending longitudinally in the undersurface thereof. The slot receives handrail support means.

This application is a division of our copending application, Ser. No. 378,185, tiled June 26, 1964, now lPatent No. 3,289,381, issued Dec. 6, 1966.

This invention relates generally to handrails and particularly to unitary composite handrails.

An important object of the invention is to provide a unitary handrail the component parts of which are positively locked together.

Another object is to provide such a handrail which may be assembled in the shop and shipped to the construction site fully assembled.

Another object is to provide such a handrail which is simple in form, economical to manufacture and easy to erect.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent when the following description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a handrail constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on line II-II of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the component parts of the handrail, shown separated from each other; and

FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the component parts of the handrail, shown separated from each other.

The following description is directed to the specic forms of the invention illustrated in the drawings and is not intended to be addressed tothe scope of the invention, which may be practiced in a wide variety of forms.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 4, inclusive, the handrail, generally designated 5G, includes a tubular member 52 of metal, for example, aluminum, and grip members 54 made of Wood. The tubular member 52 includes a part 56 provided with an upright side wall 58, a laterally extending flange 60 and an upright extension of the flange 60, designated 62. At the bottom of the part 56 is a laterally extending ange 64 provided with a longitudinally extending T-shaped slot 66 in the undersurface thereof. The tubular member also includes a part 68 provided with an upright side wall 7G, laterally extending flange 72 and an upright extension of the flange 72, designated 74. The flange extension 74 is hooked, as at 76. At the bottom of the part 68 is a laterally extending ange 78 seated upon the tiange 64. A countersunk head screw 80 is projected freely through the ange 64 and is threaded into the flange 78.

3,405,915 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 c ICC Associated with each of the parts 56 and 68 is a grip member 54 provided with a lateralv extension 84 extending over the flanges 60 and 72 and abutting the upward extension 74 of the ange 72 and its hook 76. The outer surface of the grip member is convex outwardly, as at 86, and the upper surface is convex upwardly, as at 88. The lower surfaces of the grip members converge downwardly, as at 89. The grip -rnembers are secured to the tubular parts by means yof screws, designated 92.

A handrail support, generally designated 94, and comprising two parts 96 is tted into the T-shaped slot 66 and is connected by a coupling assembly 98 to a railing post 100.

In the assembly of the handrailing, the grip members 54-54 are litted over the tubular parts 56 and 68 and secured thereto by means of screws 92, whereupon the tubular parts are assembled by first hooking part 76 over the part 62 and seating the iiange 78 upon the ange 64 and then turning in the screws 80.

What is claimed is:

1. In a handrail, the unitary composite structure consisting of an elongated metal component in the form of a two-piece tubular member, and non-metallic grip means in the form of two wooden members disposed respectively in overlying relation to the parts of said tubular member, one of the pieces of said tubular member having in the undersurface thereof a longitudinally extending slot receiving handrail support means.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the parts of the tubular member are secured together by longitudinally extending interlocking anges disposed intermediate the opposite sides of said tubular member, and the wooden grip members extend upwardly over the opposite sides of said tubular member and inwardly over the top thereof to said interlocked flanges.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein the parts of the tubular member are provided with laterally extending overlapping flanges and the slot is formed in the lower one of said tianges.

4. In a handrail, the combination consisting of an elongated tubular member including a part having an upright side wall with laterally extending flanges at the top and bottom thereof, the upper flange terminating in an upright extension and the lower flange having a T- slot adapted for receiving handrail supports, a part having an upright side wall with laterally extending flanges at the top -and bottom thereof, the upper flange terminating in lan upright extension hooked over the upright extension of the upper flange of the rst mentioned part, and the lower flange being disposed in overlying relation to the lower flange of the rst mentioned part, and a pair of elongated wooden grip members iitted respectively over the opposite sides of said tubular member `and extending inwardly over the top thereof to said interlocked flanges.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,5 89,257 6/ 1926 Stalder.

2,851,747 9/ 1958 Rolen 52-376 X 2,869,829 1/ 1959 Spangberg 256-65 3,040,389 6/ 1962 Fengler 52-727 X 3,108,663 10/1963 Glaser 52-731 X DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

